Hi ladies! Today I am gonna share with you all, my favorite face mask that I swear by whenever a zit pops up on my face. It is completely natural and is very effective in treating the pimples.  Pimples are caused by a type of bacteria called Propionibacterium and all the ingredients used in this face mask aim at killing this type of germs. At the same time, they also nourish and heal your skin unlike drugstore acne lotions that dry out your skin like crazy!! You just need four ingredients and two of them are available right in your kitchen --

1. 1 teaspoon Yogurt

2. 1 teaspoon Honey

3. 1 teaspoon Neem powder/Fresh Neem leaves paste

4. 1 teaspoon Tulsi Powder/Fresh Tulsi Leaves paste.   (also known as Basil)

If you are an Indian, you will pretty much be familiar with Neem and if you have access to a Neem tree, just pluck some leaves and throw them in a blender to make a paste. For others who don't have access to Neem and Basil trees, you can buy them in powdered form from any Indian grocery store. They are easily available and cheap.

First, mix honey and yogurt very well. See the picture below and you should get a consistency like this.

To this, add neem and basil and mix.  Apply a thin even layer of this mask all over the face leaving the eye area. After 5 minutes, you will notice a tight feeling on your skin, which means the mask is drying. At this point, lightly mist your face with rose water spray.  Apply another even layer over the first layer. Leave this mask on for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whenever you get that tight feeling on your skin, lightly spray the rose water to keep it wet. This process will help in leaving the mask for longer time on your face without getting dry and cracked. 

Okay, I will now tell you how each of these ingredients work in making your face pimple free. 

Yogurt: Yogurt has good cleansing properties. The lactic acid present in Yogurt has the capacity to kill certain types of bacteria and can restore the PH balance of your skin. When the PH balance is maintained, acne cannot thrive!!

Honey: Honey is a great anti-bacterial agent and nourishes your skin from within. It kills the pimple causing bacteria and is rich in vitamins like B2, B3 and B5. The market is flooded with honey based  acne creams, so why not curate your own mask at home? If you can. try to use raw, unfiltered honey because it is the purest form of honey and has maximum benefits. It helps in alkalizing the face!

Neem: Neem is my favorite beauty staple!! It makes skin glow and the salicylic acid present in Neem helps in treating the pimples. Salicylic acid is the most popular ingredient in the acne treating products. Neem has it in the natural form and is the best natural alternative to those chemical ladden, expensive creams. It is rich in anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties. It also prevents your acne from scarring and helps the already present acne spots to fade. 

Basil: This magical herb can also kill the pimple causing bacteria. This, in combination with Neem, can cure not only acne, but also most skin related infections. 

Use this mask consistently for best results. I personally see the difference just after the first time of using it. Whenever I use neem on my face, it glows and with consistent use, gets rid of the pimples and spots, leaving behind a flawless skin!! Let me know how this worked for you in the comments :)

Good luck!!